Overall Analysis
I would recommend this site to kids between the ages of 6 and 10. The online world adds an extra dimension to the physical toys, which are also cute.
The games are the best part about the site. They are entertaining and might actually have some educational value.
Although it never encourages you to buy more toys while you're in-game, I assume that more dolls (and their registration codes) add more possibilities to the experience. I interacted with the site as a person with only one toy. It took me about an hour and a half to exhaust my interest in this world, but for someone younger -- or someone less competent with a computer -- it would take longer.
The overall experience here is a bit lonely. Many other sites of the same genre allow you to encounter other users, see how many points they have, what they've named their avatars, and engage in more or less restricted chat. The (Webkinz?) model that requires you to exchange a secret password with your buddies outside of the game would work well here.
Launching MushaBelly University
Registering at MushaBelly University
Pros:
instant success: once you've logged on, a university "fight song" begins playing
Cons:
you might have had to download and install a more recent version of Flash Player first
following visual clues (the relative size of the buildings on this screen), now you have to know to click on the Registrar's Office
the registration process might require a grown-up for kids under 7 or 8. There are about 5 or 6 steps, including a Captcha ("type in the letters and numbers you see in the box").
barriers to entry: you or an adult must have a computer with internet access, be able to read, and be able to operate a mouse and a keyboard
Dorm Room
Dorm Room
After you've successfully registered, you automatically appear in your dorm room. At first, there's nothing in it but four (striped) walls, your avatar, and a bed.
Pros:
when you click on the avatar, it reacts by barking, etc.
when you click on a spot on the floor, your avatar moves there
when you click on the bed, your avatar goes to sleep and doesn't wake up until you click on it again
when your mouse hovers over the floor or the bed, you get visual feedback that these areas are clickable
Cons:
when you start, there's nothing in the closet, all the image icons at top are blank gray like the one on the right
your possibilities here may not be obvious to a first-time user
the game requires you to be able to read, so it might be helpful, the first time you log in, to provide some written explanation of this screen
I still haven't figured out how to feed my avatar
Campus
Campus Map
Map
Once you've figured out that you need to click Map near the top left, you are taken to this screen.
Pros:
provides a mental map for users navigating the site
you get visual feedback that the four buildings here are clickable
Cons:
it's not the same visual feedback you got in the dorm room
the contact us link doesn't work (details are important!)
the registrar's office occupies the anchor spot, but it offers no more opportunities for interactivity
as this is the most central, important screen in the game, the text link to it should appear prominently on every screen
MushaBelly Store
Mushkin Store
Shopping Interface
Pros:
there's no way to spend any real money
there are no touts for buying more of their products (here in the store or anywhere on the site)
you start out with credits, and after you've spent them you can earn more by continuing to engage with the site
Cons:
look at all the text in the image on the left. It dwarfs the actual clickable area, which is the door.
many ways to fail: when you see something you like, you must click its icon, then click "add to cart," or you won't get a chance to buy it. when you're done shopping, you must click "my cart" and then click "check out."
the two-step process seems to be modeled on actual online stores -- but ease of use would be more helpful here than verissimilitude
Mushkin Hall
Vortex Game
Pros:
the games and classes build competence with keyboard and mouse, test your reflexes and hand-eye coordination
gain a sense of competence by advancing in the game or beating your last score
good feedback on where you are in the game, what is left to achieve, how many points you're earning
difficulty level (esp in vortex game pictured above) builds to test your expanding proficiency
Cons:
the building reads MU on the outside and MushKin Hall on the inside -- this detail could be confusing
the word "MU," like the word "Hall," may fail to evoke college with kids who have never encountered these usages
I would recommend this site to kids between the ages of 6 and 10. The online world adds an extra dimension to the physical toys, which are also cute.
The games are the best part about the site. They are entertaining and might actually have some educational value.
Although it never encourages you to buy more toys while you're in-game, I assume that more dolls (and their registration codes) add more possibilities to the experience. I interacted with the site as a person with only one toy. It took me about an hour and a half to exhaust my interest in this world, but for someone younger -- or someone less competent with a computer -- it would take longer.
The overall experience here is a bit lonely. Many other sites of the same genre allow you to encounter other users, see how many points they have, what they've named their avatars, and engage in more or less restricted chat. The (Webkinz?) model that requires you to exchange a secret password with your buddies outside of the game would work well here.
Pros:
Cons:
Dorm Room
After you've successfully registered, you automatically appear in your dorm room. At first, there's nothing in it but four (striped) walls, your avatar, and a bed.
Pros:
Cons:
Campus
Once you've figured out that you need to click Map near the top left, you are taken to this screen.
Pros:
Cons:
MushaBelly Store
Pros:
Cons:
Mushkin Hall
Pros:
Cons: